Bending bar with adjustable work engaging studs



Oct. 3, 1950 c, s s 2,524,321

BEND ING BAR WITH ADJUSTABLE WORK ENGAGING STUDS Filed Aug. 9, 1947 yammwpw fitter/lays Patented Oct. 3, 1950 BENDING BAR WITH ADJUSTABLE WORKENGAGING STUDS Charles M. Le Masters, Long Beach, Calif. ApplicationAugust 9, 1947, Serial No. 767,724

2 Claims This invention relates to improvements in adjustable bendingbars and may be considered as an improvement over the constructiondisclosed in my copending and now abandoned application Serial No.566,373, filed December 2, 1944.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved bending barconsisting of a shank to which a handle may be either integrally ordetachably connected and having an upstanding polygonal stud to which apair of sockets may be applied in superposed relationship in any of aplurality of positions, the sockets havin outwardly extending endsthereon on which there are upstanding posts. A feature of theimprovement resides in the formation of the sockets so that the end ofone socket or that socket which is positioned lowermost on the studextends upwardly and the end of the other socket extends downwardly sothat the .bases of the studs are in substantially the same horizontalplane in which the longitudinal axis of the shank and its handle aredisposed. I find that when a bending bar is thus constructed wherein theshank has its longitudinal axis in a plane extending through the basesof the posts, when the bending bar is applied to an article to be bentor straightened, the twisting tendencies of the bending bar areeliminated.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bending bar having theabove mentioned characteristics wherein one of the posts is knurled orotherwise roughened to prevent its slipping with relation to the articlethat is to be bent and wherein the other post has a rotatable sleevethereon which preferably presents a smooth external surface so thatin-the course of bending an article such as a length of pipe, the sleevemay roll or turn on its post and roll relatively to the article that isbeing bent in the course of bending.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will be mademanifest in the following detailed description and specifically pointedout in the appended claims, reference is had to the accompanyingdrawings for an illustrative embodiment of the invention, wherein:

Figure l is a top plan view of the bending bar embodying the presentinvention;

Fig. 2 is a view inside elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the sockets and posts which are applicableto the stud on the shank; and

Fig. 4 is a view in side elevation parts being broken away and shown invertical section of a socket carryin a rotatable sleeve on its post.

l and are welded in position so Referring to the accompanying drawingswherein similar reference characters designate similar parts throughout,the improved bending bar consists of a shank generally indicated at H]on one end of which there is formed a head H. A polygonal stud I2extends upwardly from the head II and is integral therewith. This studisillustrated as being hexagonal in plane although other polygonal shapesmay be utilized if desired. A pair of sockets is provided, these socketsbeing indicated at E3 and M respectively. The sockets have polygonallyshaped interiors and if the stud i2 is hexagonal in plane it ispreferable to have each socket l2 sided on its interior so that when asocket is applied to the stud it may assume any one of 12 differentpositions with relation to the stud. In each position each socket isnon-rotatable with respect to its stud.

Each socket has an end extending radially outward therefrom, such endsbeing indicated at l5 and I6 respectively. The socket I3 which isdisposed lowermost on the stud 52 has its end I 6 bent or extendingupwardly and in a similar manper the socket It has its end [5 bent orextend.-

ing downwardly so that the top surfaces of the ends at the bases of theposts thereon will be substantially in the same horizontal plane whenthe sockets are assembled in superposed relationship on the stud. It ispossible to make the sockets i3 and i4 exact duplicates of each other inthe course of manufacture, leaving one socket, such as l3, disposedupright and turning the other socket l4 upside down to properly positionits end. Posts El and I8, respectively, are inserted throughdrilledholes in the ends of the socket as to be permanently associatedtherewith. These posts have their upper ends terminating in the samehorizontal plane when the sockets are assembled on the shank and arepreferably vertically knurled or otherwise roughened to preventslippage. The bases of the posts are disposed in the same horizontalplane and the shank H1 is so bent with relation to the head I i that thelongitudinal axis of the straight or handle portion l9 thereof isdisposed in the same plane as the bases of the posts ii and 13. Atubular handle 28 may be slipped onto the shank and retained thereon bymeans of a bolt or rivet 21 carrying a spring actuated ball 22 thatserves as a detent to retain the bolt in applied position. However, onforcing the bolt 2! out of its hole that extends through the handle andthe shank, the handle may be detached from the shank to facilitatepackaging or storing.

It will be appreciated from the above described construction that thetwo sockets l3 and I4 and their posts I7 and is may be caused to assumeany one of twelve different possible positions with relation to eachother and with relation to the longitudinal axis of the portion 19 ofthe shank In so that the device may be adjusted to any reasonableposition with relation to the shank to facilitate bending of an articlepositioned between the two posts I! and I8. I find that when the tool isconstructed as above described with the axis of the portion 19 in thesame plane as the bases of the posts I1 and I8, when a bending force isapplied to the handle 20, twisting tendencies are eliminated. If thehandle 20 is disposed in the same horizontal plane as the head H, as inmy copending application, there are certain situations whereinreactionary forces set up in the course of bending tend to twist thetool. This is largely if not entirely eliminated if the shank isarranged as illustrated.

Near the top of the stud l2 there is preferably a horizontal bore 23within which balls 24 are confined such as by peening the metal at theends of the bore. The compression spring 25 is disposed in the bore andurges the balls outwardly into engagement with the interior of the uppersocket so as to frictionally retain the upper socket on the stud oncethat it has been applied thereto.

In the construction shown in Fig. 1, the socket l3a, which is acounterpart of the socket 13, has a post lla secured to its outer end.About this post there is disposed a sleeve 28 which is retained thereonby means of a cap screw 27 and washer 28. This sleeve preferablypresents a smooth exterior surface. This form of socket and post may beadvantageously used in bending pipe and the like wherein the post 18 byreason of its roughened surface will tend to grip and remain stationarywith relation to the pipe and in the course of bending the pipe, thesleeve 26 will merely roll on its post l'la during the course 0:"bending.

From the above described construction it will be appreciated that animproved adjustable bending bar is provided which is highly advantageousin its construction and in the manner in which it may be used.

Various changes may be made in the details of construction withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by theappended claims.

I claim:

1. A bending bar comprising a shank having an upstanding polygonal stud,a pair of sockets receivable in superposed relationship on said stud ineither of a plurality of positions, said sockets being duplicates andhaving outwardly extending offset ends, said sockets being mounted onsaid stud so that the offset end of one socket extends upwardly and theoffset end of the other socket extends downwardly, and posts rigidlysecured to the ends of the sockets and extending upwardly therefrom, theshank having a handle thereon, the longitudinal axis of which isdisposed in a plane extending through the bases of the sockets.

2. A bending bar comprising a shank having an upstanding polygonal stud,a pair of sockets receivable in superposed relationship on said stud ineither of a plurality of positions, said sockets being'duplicates andhaving outwardly extending offset ends, said sockets being mounted onsaid stud so that the offset end of one socket extends upwardly and theoffset end of the other socket extends downwardly, and posts rigidlysecured to the ends of the sockets and extending upwardly therefrom, theshank having a handle thereon, the longitudinal axis of which isdisposed in a plane extending through the bases of the sockets, one ofthe posts having a sleeve rotatable there on and presenting a smoothexterior surface.

CHARLES M. LE MASTERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

